A rediscovered childhood photo of Dougie Hamilton is resurfacing among Maple Leafs fans
Photo credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images
With all the rumors around Dougie Hamilton right now, keen eyed Maple Leafs fans believe an old photo of the defender shows he would fit perfectly in with the team.
Speculation has ramped up quickly regarding Dougie Hamilton and his future with the New Jersey Devils. Since he was a healthy scratch on Saturday, reports have surfaced that the team and Hamilton are at odds and basically trying to force him into accepting a deal.
So then becomes the question of where he might end up, and while he may be a bit expensive for some teams -- he certainly brings a lot of positives on and off the ice.
One team who has been front and center of trade rumors regarding Hamilton is the Toronto Maple Leafs. Not only could they use his offensive prowess to give them even more firepower, but provide a serious two-way threat heading into a tough playoff push.
Old childhood photo of Dougie Hamilton fuels Maple Leafs rumors
They would need to spend a fair bit to bring him in and there are questions about whether or not he would veto a trade after he previously vetoed one to San Jose; he's got a list of teams he will go to and the Maple Leafs need to hope they're on there.
But keen eyes noticed that Hamilton will likely entertain a move to the Maple Leafs not only because he's a Toronto-born player, but a serious fan who is engrained in the team already.
Fans noticed that way back in 2018, Hamilton posted a photo of himself as a young boy cheering on the Maple Leafs and was part of their jumbootron video promoting the team:
While this was nearly eight years ago, Hamilton clearly had love for the team back then and it's hard to see that wavering now.
Could Dougie Hamilton make his way to Toronto?
Well if history is any indication, Hamilton is a Leafs fan at heart and getting the chance to play for your childhood team has played a factor before.
He could follow in the footsteps of John Tavares and Steven Lorentz; two players who have professed their adoration for the Maple Leafs since being kids and how important it is for them to wear the jersey.
It's also why the Connor McDavid speculation runs high in Toronto. He's a known Maple Leafs fan since he was young, and whenever his name is brought up it always seems that Toronto has a leg up over other teams due to that personal connection.
If Brad Treliving is willing to pay the price to bring him in whether that be picks, prospects or some NHL-ready bodies he could be extra motivated to help the team therefore help elevate everyone else.
Hamilton, 32, has struggled a bit this season with only 10 points in 40 games (5 goals, 5 assists) but has career numbers that show he's much, much better than this season indicates.
In 875 games he has 511 points (156 goals, 355 assists) with a plus-69 rating, 963 blocks and 1,019 hits while also adding 31 points in 71 playoff contests.
While it might cost quite a bit to add Dougie Hamilton to the roster, perhaps a combination of a desperate New Jersey team and Toronto's connection to the veteran is what makes a trade come together where everyone wins in the end.
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| POLL | ||
JANVIER 11|980 ANSWERS A rediscovered childhood photo of Dougie Hamilton is resurfacing among Maple Leafs fans Should the Maple Leafs go after Dougie Hamilton or someone else? | ||
| Dougie Hamilton | 286 | 29.2 % |
| Someone Else | 694 | 70.8 % |
| List of polls | ||